Timber Price Indices: Data to March 2014

The latest National Statistics on Timber Price Indices produced by the Forestry Commission were released on 15 May 2014 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

Timber Price Indices are based on sales by the Forestry Commission and Natural Resources Wales and consist of the Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index and the Softwood Sawlog Price Index. They present data to March 2014 for Great Britain.

The key points from the latest release are:

In the Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index:

There has been an overall increase in the index over the last ten years, following an overall decrease in earlier years.

The index was 13.5% higher in real terms (15.6% in nominal terms) in the year to March 2014, compared with the previous year.

The average price for coniferous standing sales was £15.62 per cubic metre overbark standing in nominal terms in the year to March 2014, an increase from £13.29 in the year to March 2013.

In the Softwood Sawlog Price Index:

There has been an overall increase over the last five years, following a long period of general decline.

The index was 16.0% higher in real terms (17.7% in nominal terms) in the 6 months to March 2014, compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.

The average price for softwood sawlog sales was £45.45 per cubic metre overbark in nominal terms in the 6 month period to March 2014, an increase from £40.71 in the 6 months to September 2013 and £38.60 in the 6 months to March 2013.